The Four Noble Truths

The Buddha’s core teachings can be summed up in four key points — these are known as the Four Noble Truths

The truth of suffering
Life is frustrating and painful. Suffering is a part of life.

The truth of the cause of suffering
Suffering emerges from craving for life to be other than it is. Life is impermanent and change is constant – we grow frustrated when the world doesn’t behave the way we think it should and our lives don’t conform to our expectations. The only certainty in life is that it will end.

The truth of the end of suffering
The cause of suffering can be ended. Understanding that all things are impermanent and ending the chase after satisfaction is enlightenment. It is not suffering that ceases, it’s craving.

The truth of the path that frees us from suffering
There is a way, or “path” to end the cause of suffering. We need to abandon our expectations about the way we think things should be and begin to develop awareness about the way things are. The path has 8 main points and is known as the Eightfold Path.